Cartridge-carrier.



A. A. LETHERN.

CARTRIDGE CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.4.19!5.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

I V I [nvenfor Zf/zzfnasaes $24M MM THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (0" WASHINGTON, D c.

A. A. LETHERN.

CARTRIDGE CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.4,1915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- [72 under Witnesses Nl'lEl) %TATE% PATENT @lFlFlfClZ.

ALBERT ALEXANDER LETHEEN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB TO MILLS WOVEN "CARTRIDGE BELT COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CARTRIDGE-CARRIER.

Application filed January 4, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT ALEXANDER LETHERN, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cartridge-Carriers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to cartridge carriers, and in particular to those intended to contain cartridges in clips or packets.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved fastening for cartridge carriers of this type which, while allowing the clip or packet and the cartridges it contains to be withdrawn when required, prevents the clip or packet and its cartridges falling from the carrier or pocket if the covering flap is accidentally unfastened or unintentionally left open.

The cartridge carriers at present in use usually comprise pockets mounted on a common backing and disposed on either side of the front portion of the waist belt. Each pocket is of substantially rectangular crosssection so as to contain two or more clips of cartridges, and each pocket is provided with a separate covering flap which can be secured in its closed position by means of a snap fastener. When the soldier is lying in a firing position the pockets on his left side are diilicult to close, and, further, tend to open when in contact with the ground. As a result the clips of cartridges sometimes fall from the carrier and are thus lost.

According to this invention the fastening or retaining devices are such that even if the actual fastening member is not secured, the covering flap is prevented from opening sufficiently far to allow of the clip and its load of cartridges being accidentally dropped or lost. To this end I provide a strip or strap for connecting the free edge of the covering flap to the pocket, this strip carrying at its free end a snap or other fastener which engages a corresponding member on the pocket, for instance on the base of the pocket or on the top of the flap, so as to hold the flap firmly in its closed position. The edgeof the flap is free to slide along the strip when the snap-fastener is disengaged, but the length of the strip is such as to prevent the flap from opening so far as to allow the clips and their cartridges to accidentally Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. l, 1916.

Serial No. .854.

drop from the pocket, though they can be pulled out when required.

In a preferred construction according to this invention the point or middle portion of the edge of each covering flap carries a loop, eye or slide of D or other shape formed of metal or fabric, and the stud portion of a snap-fastener is mounted on the upper wall of each flap. Secured to the front wall of each pocket is an upwardly extending strip or strap which is threaded through the loop or slide on the point of the flap, and provided at its free end with the socket portion of a snap-fastener adapted to engage the stud already described. The socket member prevents the strip from being with drawn through the loop, and thus limits the extent to which the flap can be opened or folded back. Thus, in the first place, as the actual fastening member is no longer at the face of the pocket there is less chance of this being accidentally opened, while further, if it is left unfastened, the flap cannot open far enough to enable the clip and its cartridges to be shaken or dropped out, though if given a definite pull, the clips can be withdrawn when they are required. Further, the flap tends to fall into its closed position and so obviates any chance of the contents of the pockets being accidentally lost.

If found more convenient, the metal loop or eye may be secured to the face of the pocket and the strip to the free edge of the flap.

The strip is conveniently. formed of the same material as the cartridge carrier, for instance, woven fabric or leather, and though described herein in connection with carriers of superimposed group type, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to all cartridge carriers intended to receive cartridges in clips or packets. Further a turn-button or other suitable fastening may be substituted for a snap fastener without departing from this invention.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a cartridge carrier of known type having certain of the pockets provided with the improved fastening clevice. Fig. 2 is a front View of a single pocket shown in an inclined position to illustrate the operation of the present improvement. Fig. 3 illustrates the cartridge carrier of Fig. 1 as being Worn by a soldier lying in a firing position. Figs. 4:, 5 and 6 are isometric views of single pockets, such views illustrating modifications that are described hereinafter.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The cartridge carrier illustrated in the drawings comprises five pockets, each of such shape and dimensions as to adapt it e to contain conveniently three groups of cartridges in clips, or a packet of such cartridges. These pockets are arranged on a common backing in two rows one above the other, and, as indicated in Fig. 3, in use the carrier is disposed on one side of the front of the wearer of the equipment, being secured to the waist-belt and to a shoulder strap. lhe carrier illustrated in Fig. l is that intended for wear on the left side, on which side the improved fastening device is more particularly required, the fastening device also being employed in this instance only on the lower row of pockets.

Each pocket A has a cover flap B, to the extreme edge of which is attached a metal I loop C, the attachment being by sewing,

riveting, or insome other convenient manner. On that part of the cover flap B which normally lies over the top or mouth of the pocket is mounted the stud portion D of a snap fastener. A strap E is secured at one end, as at E, to the lower part of the front wall of the pocket A, while toward its free end the strap E carries the socket portion F of a snap fastener, this socket portion being adapted to engage the stud D. The free end, E of the strap E extends slightly beyond the snap-fastener member F, so as to provide a tab which can be readily grasped in the fingers for the purpose of disengaging the snap-fastener members, or otherwise manipulating the strap.

The pocket illustrated toward the lefthand side of Fig. l is shown closed and securely fastened as a result of the strap E i being pulled through the loop or slide 0 so as to draw the cover B closely down over the pocket, the strap E being finally carried up across the top of the pocket and the said cover, and the snap-fastener members engaged one with the other. The middle pocket is shown with the snap-fastener members disengaged, and in dotted lines the strap E is shown hanging down, the cover B, however, still remaining drawn over the top of the pocket so as to close it. The cover will be retained in this closed position, at any rate temporarily, by the strap E, even tho-ugh the snap-fastener members F and D are not engaged with one another, inasmuch as the friction of the strapE in the loop 0 is suliicient to accomplish this. In the pocket shown at the righthand side of Fig.

l the cover flap B is shown raised and the pocket opened to enable a group of carwhich the groups of cartridges can be withdrawn by the hand, but these groups of cartridges cannot accidentally fall out of this opening. The operation in this respect is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, where a' pocket is shown in an inclined position such as it would assume on the body of a man lying prone on the ground. In this case as will be seen, if the fastening device is released and the cover flap B is raised, a group of cartridgessuch as G, if it becomes loosened in the pocket A, merely will fall into some such position as that indicated, but can go no farther, and cannotfall out of the pocket altogether, owing to the strap E limiting the extent to which the cover flap B can be raised.

It will thus be seen that, while on the one hand the improved fastening device enables a pocket to be effectually closed as shown in the case of the lefthand pocket illustrated in Fig. 1, on the other hand the pocket can be opened as shown in the case of the righthand pocket in Fig. 1 so as to allow of easy access to its contents but at the same time prevent these falling out. In the intermediate stage, however, as shown in the middle pocket in Fig. 1, by merely pulling down the strap E the cover flap B will be closed and at any rate temporarily so retained if by accident or omission the snap-fastener members are not engaged or they should by chance become disengaged. Further, by positioning the snap-fastener member D on the top of the pocket it is placed where there is practically no risk of the snap-fastener members being disengaged by contact with objects when the wearer of the equipment is lying or crawling on the ground as in Fig. 3.

As already indicated, the relative positions and attachments of the loop C and strap E may be reversed; that is to say, the loop C may be attached to the front wall of the pocket A, while the strap E is fastened at one end to the edge of the cover flap B. In one such modified arrangement, shown in Fig. 4, when the device is fastened thestrap E will run from the edge of the cover flap B to which its end is attached, through the loop or eye C which is securedon the front wall of the pocket A, and, doubling back on itself and on the cover flap B, will pass upwardly so that the two snap-fastener members F and D will engage.

In a further modification, shown in Fig. 5, wherein the loop C is mounted on the front Wall of the pocket and the strap E is there is a suflicient opening allowed through attached to the edge of the cover flap, the snap-fastener member D is disposed on the bottom of the pocket, where it will be en gaged by the snap-fastener member F placed toward the end of the strap E, which in this case will hang downwardly instead of passing upwardly through the loop C as in the arrangement first described. This arrangement, however, is adapted for use with a pocket of such depth or dimensions as will permit the strap E to have the necessary length to allow of the flap being raised sufficiently to permit the contents of the pocket to be removed. The position of the snap-fastener member D on the bottom of the pocket in this modification places it where, as in the case of the corresponding member positioned on the top of the pocket, there is practically no risk of the snapfastener members being disengaged by contact with objects when the wearer of the equipment is lying or crawling on the ground.

In yet another arrangement, shown in Fig. 6, which is again only adapted for pockets of greater depth than those shown, the loop C maybe attached as shown to the edge of the cover flap l3 and the strap E secured at one end to the front wall of the pocket A also as shown. In place, however, of the snap-fastener member D being mounted on the cover flap on the top of the pocket this snap fastener member is dis posed on the bottom of the pocket. In this case the snap-fastener member F will have its opening reversed or on the opposite side of the strap E to that shown in Fig. l and when these snap-fastener members are engaged the strap E will be doubled back on itself.

I claim as my invention 1. In a cartridge carrier'adapted to contain groups of cartridges in clips or packets and provided with a flap cover, a fastening device for the cover comprising a metal or other loop or the like and a strip or strap which passes through the loop and carries toward its free end one member of a snap fastener or like device, the loop and strap being secured one to the cover and the other to the pocket, the other member of said fastener being attached in position to cooperate with the member first named, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a cartridge carrier adapted to contain groups of cartridges in clips or packets and provided with a flap cover, a fastening device for the cover comprising a metal or other loop or the like and a strip or strap which passes through the loop and carries toward its free end one member of a snap fastener or like device, the loop and strap being secured one to the edge of the cover and the other to the front wall of the pocket, the other member of said fastener being attached in position to cooperate with the member first named, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a cartridge carrier adapted to contain groups of cartridges in clips or packets, the combination with a cover flap having a snap-fastener member mounted on it and a metal or other loop secured to its edge, of a strap which passes through the loop on the cover flap and has one end secured to the front wall of the pocket while toward the free end is mounted a snap-fastener member which will limit the movement of the loop on the strap and engage the snapfastener member on the cover flap, as and for the purpose described.

4. In a cartridge-carrier having a pocket provided with a flap cover, the combination with said pocket and cover, of a fastening device for the cover comprising a loop or the like, a strip or strap which passes through the loop, one thereof secured to the cover and the other to the pocket, and means whereby the free end of the strip or strap may be made fast temporarily in position to hold the cover closed and fastened.

5. In a cartridge-carrier having a pocket provided with a flap cover, the combination with said pocket and cover, of a fastening device for the cover comprising a loop or the like, a strip or strap which passes throughthe loop, one thereof secured to the cover and the other to the pocket, and means whereby the free end of the strip or strap may be made fast temporarily in position to hold the cover closed and fastened, said parts constructed to limit the extent of withdrawal of the strip or strap through the loop or the like and thereby limit the extent to which the cover can be opened.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT ALEXANDER LETHERN. lVitnesses IV. J. FnANns, G. A. MOORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

